Programme Outlines

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Media is the first of its kind in Hong Kong. A degree with a long history in many prestigious European and North American universities, the MFA is commonly regarded as the highest level of academic qualification available in the creative arts. While the MFA once was primarily associated with the traditional fine arts, such as music and painting, it has since the 1960s become the standard “terminal” degree in programmes specializing in more technology-intensive creative fields, including computer-based media production.

The Degree

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Media (MFACM) emphasizes the integration of art, culture and technology. As an internationally-recognised terminal degree in the creative arts, the MFACM provides intensive and advanced training in digital audiovisual media and culture, animation, computer graphics, film/video production, interactive media and new media art. A cutting-edge art programme with a global vision, the MFACM is a hub and a laboratory for creative exchanges and professional collaboration regionally as well as internationally.

Our students come from all over the world including Canada, Mainland China, France, Germany, India, Italy, New Zealand, the Philippines, Portugal and the United States. Non-local students are encouraged to apply since we are strongly committed to artistic and cultural diversities.

Programme Aims

To develop the artistic and intellectual competence required for contemporary artists and future leaders of the media and creative industry

To nourish a critical and cross-disciplinary understanding of issues in contemporary art-making and creative industries

To equip students with knowledge of artistic and technological development in relevant areas with an emphasis on the creative processes involved

To provide to the local and overseas industry with graduates who demonstrate a high level of originality and a commitment to the highest standards of professional ethics, and who are capable of taking on significant responsibilities and leadership roles in the industry

Entrance Requirements

To be eligible for admission, you must satisfy the University’s General Entrance Requirements for taught postgraduate programmes and must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, with preferably some working experience in the arts or creative industry. You should submit a portfolio of creative work with an artist statement (please see the Portfolio section of the School Admissions website).

Applicants without the specified qualifications may still be considered for admission to the programme if they are able to present equivalent qualifications and artistic credentials. All applicants must have a demonstrated capacity to pursue the programme. The School assumes that applicants will have achieved a basic level of computer literacy. Also, some prior experience with photography and/or video production is encouraged.

Applicants may be required to attend an interview so that the School of Creative Media can gauge their creative potential.

English Proficiency Requirement

Applicants whose entrance qualification is obtained from an institution where the medium of instruction is not English should also fulfill the following minimum English proficiency requirement:

an overall band score of 6.5 in International English Language Testing System (IELTS); or

a score of 500 in the new College English Test (CET-6) of Chinese mainland or a pass in the old CET-6 test; or

other equivalent qualifications

Course Description

The MFACM is designed as an intensive, project-based programme. The programme consists of 54 credit units, and will be offered in a full-time (two-year) mode. The curriculum includes 24 credit units of required courses, and 30 credit units of elective courses. Out of the 24 credit units of required courses, a total of 21 credit units are dedicated to project-based studio classes. The other required course within the curriculum is “SM5303 Introduction to New Media Arts - Theories, Technologies, Aesthetics”, a Year 1 Semester A course intended to provide students with a contextual foundation in aesthetic, cultural, and theoretical principles relevant to the programme.

The elective courses will be organized into three different areas, namely: Practice, Context and Benchmark. Students are required to take a minimum number of credit units within each area.

Assessment in all classes normally will be entirely through coursework, which will consist primarily of practical and creative projects.

Entrance Scholarship

The School will identify high-caliber students for the entrance scholarships based on academic merit upon successful admission. No applications for the scholarships are required. Awardees will be notified about the entrance scholarship when the admission offer is released. Details of the scholarships will be announced later.

Bonus Features

In general, the School of Creative Media uses an interdisciplinary education approach, and believes that education is interdisciplinary whenever it forges links among the attitudes, concepts, skills, or processes arising in different fields of learning. Its main aim is the integration of knowledge from different areas of study.